


The Wager

by mayyuki2108



Series: Makoto Niijima Week 2018 [2]
Category: Guild Wars 2, Persona 5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-14 06:19:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16034735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayyuki2108/pseuds/mayyuki2108
Summary: Makoto makes a deal with the Phantom Thieves, loses, and ends up paying the price...but was it really such a bad thing?Day 2 of Makoto Niijima Week. Topic: Broadening Horizons.





	The Wager

**Author's Note:**

> This is loosely based off my personal experience with Guild Wars 2 when I first started out this past summer. The majority of my friends played and they kept asking me to try it so I eventually did.

Makoto’s phone buzzes and she scowls. Here we go again. She opens up the same chatroom, knowing _exactly_ the content of the message.

Futaba: _IT’S TEQUATL TIME. THIS IS YOUR 5 MINUTE REMINDER TO GET ON_

She doesn’t understand, nor does she think she ever will. But for some strange reason…at 8 PM every day, Futaba texts the group chat the same thing.

Ryuji: _OH CRAP! WAIT FOR ME!_

Ann: _Oh shoot, I think I’m gonna have to miss today’s run. This math homework is really hard (T_ _⌓_ _T)_

Yusuke: _I suppose I will have to take a break for today. I’ve been struggling with this piece for a while. Perhaps Tequatl will inspire me._

Akira: _I don’t think that’s how it works…_

Haru: _Is it all right for me to join? I did start on the game rather late_

Ann: _Of course, Haru! I mean, if you want, you could always buy one of the expansions. You_ do _have the money_

Haru: _I’d rather accomplish the levelling on my own._

Futaba: _Okay, but don’t forget. You’re still ten levels under._

Ann: _Man, Haru should just buy one of the expansions. She can get her griffin with us._

Ryuji: _Speaking of which, Ann, when the hell are we gonna get ours?_

Ann: _I told you, once we get everyone to join us!_

Makoto rereads the messages over and over, trying to decipher the conversation. A while back, Futaba had discovered an MMORPG game that was free to play. She and Ryuji had been the first to try it out and over time, they got the rest of the members in on it. With little to no surprise, Akira had been the first to truly master the game, offering tips and the best combinations. Ryuji was always the first to die…Makoto assumes it’s because he has to be the tank? She’s still not sure about the terminology in the game.

She’s heard them mention something like a Charr, which just looks like a large, bi-pedal cat, and a Nornn, which is just a larger human being. Honestly, she doubts she’ll ever understand. There were just too many phrases being tossed around for her liking.

Her phone buzzes again.

Ryuji: _Makoto, are you gonna try out the game?_

Her fingers hover over the keyboard of her phone before shooting back a reply.

Makoto: _I’ve told you, Sae and I don’t have anything that would be able to run video games._

Futaba: _But this game is super light on the graphics! Especially once you lower all the settings!_

Ann: _Yeah, if even Ryuji’s ancient computer can run it, then yours definitely should!_

Ryuji: _Hey! (#_ _｀皿_ _´_ _)_

Ann: _It’s true!_

Makoto sighs. This is probably the tenth time they’ve tried to get her to try out the game _in this past week_ …and they’ve been playing for the past two months! She glances at the calendar hanging off the wall of her bedroom. Maybe if she can bargain with them, they’ll limit their request.

Makoto: _If all of you can pass your upcoming exams with flying colors, I’ll download the game._

A response comes back almost instantly.

Ryuji: _WAIT FOR REAL?!_

Futaba: _SHE’S SERIOUS. IT’S HAPPENING_

Makoto, despite having seriously wagered with them, can’t help but chuckle at their excitement. But before she can respond…

Akira: _You guys are missing Tequatl, by the way. The bone wall’s already gone up._

Futaba: _NOOOOOOOOOO MY SPOONS_

* * *

“Mannnnn, I hope I place top 10,” Ryuji yawns.

“You’re supposed to be going for top 5 if you want Makoto to try out the game,” Ann replies.

“Damnit, I know…but those exams kicked my ass. I’d be lucky if I get in the top 10. She knew Akira’d be able to do it easily so that’s why she made it for all of us. Wait! Futaba doesn’t have to do any of this! How’s that fair?!”

“I’m sure she had a different wager with Fu- Oh, hang on.” Ann pulls out her phone, prompting the other two to as well. A photo of test placements is the text message with Yusuke’s name at the #2 spot.

Yusuke: _I hope this is enough._

* * *

 

Makoto mulls over the implications of Yusuke placing second. She never specified the rank they needed to score but she knew anything below top 10 would have been an automatic deal-breaker. Yusuke has admitted he tends to struggle when it comes to anything that isn’t towards his focus…which can be pretty much anything. The group hadn’t had a study session for this particular exam, or at least, not with Makoto herself because she wanted to see how dedicated they were to get her to try out this game.

Deciding, she responds, _Yes, that counts, Yusuke._

Futaba: _Wowwww, the Queen is being merciful today!_

Makoto rolls her eyes with a smirk. _We need to wait and see on the others. It’s not over yet._

A photo appears on her screen from Haru. _Makoto! You’re at the top! I was hoping I’d beat you this time though!_

Haru’s name is directly below her.

Makoto: _Don’t worry; it counts. Now we just need to wait on the three. Fuaba’s already sent me her part of the deal._

Yusuke: _What is it?_

Makoto: _It’s between the two of us, I promised her that much._

Finally, the last photo appears, pushing up the conversation. Sure enough, Akira is listed as number one in his class. Her eyes widen when she sees Ann’s name at 8th place. She turns the phone screen off when she sees where Ryuji is placed.

* * *

 

“Hey, she saw the message!” Ryuji announces.

“She’s not responding though…” Ann comments.

The trio’s phones vibrate at the same time and once Ryuji opens up his phone, he lets out his loudest cheer.

The message had been a photo from Makoto, downloading the game on her laptop. Above it, Ryuji’s name can be seen next to the number 10.

* * *

 

**Several Weeks Later**

Futaba: _IT’S TEQUATL TIME. THIS IS YOUR 5 MINUTE REMINDER TO GET ON_

Ryuji: _Oy! Makoto’s already on, the hell?!_

Ann: _Damn she really got into it._

Ryuji: _WAIT, SHE’S ALREADY LEVEL 80_

Futaba: _THAT MEANS WE CAN TAKE HER TO DO **THEM**_.

Akira: The _real_ question is…does she have _it_?

Futaba: We’ll find out soon enough. But first…FOR THE SPOONS

* * *

 

“I always hate these damn…jumping…DAMN IT!” Ryuji’s curses can be heard from Makoto’s laptop as she frantically tries to lower the volume. She doesn’t know how she’d be able to explain it to Sae that yes, she did download the game and yes, she did get to the max level. Granted, she won’t be able to get the griffin any time soon but at least she managed to somehow grind to level 80.

Makoto herself effortlessly beats the jumping puzzles, her character waiting at the top with the rest of the team. Ann and Yusuke had to sit out because one, the fractals (dungeons) had a limit of five people in the party and two, because they had fallen behind on some assignments.

Makoto should have told them that they have to keep their grades up for the entirety of the year, but honestly, she would have probably kept playing regardless.

Ryuji’s character, a human warrior, finally makes it to the top and she can still hear the string of curses coming from him.

“Man, Ryuji. You’re still so loud,” Morgana complains through Akira’s headset.

“Shut it, Morgana! I don’t see you trying to jump up these stupid blocks in the air!”

“Enough, we’re getting close to the end of the fractal,” Makoto stops them, her Norn character towering over them as always.

Ryuji sighs and lets her and Akira take the lead. Once they enter the area, the doors surrounding their characters close, leaving them trapped within the room. The final boss of the fractal appears and immediately, Futaba yells a battle cry.

“Let’s kick his ass!” Ryuji declares.

“DOES ANYONE HAVE CC?!” Futaba demands.

“I do!” Haru calls out.

“DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE CC?!”

“Akira and I do! Watch the bar…and now!”

The boss is stunned and the five characters put everything they can into the fight.

Soon enough, the boss retreats and leaves the loot behind for them.

“You’re really getting the hang of it, Makoto!” Haru congratulates her.

“Yes, I didn’t think I’d get into it. But I’m online almost every night just in time for the daily boss now.”

“At least you finally gave it a try!” Makoto can just feel Ryuji’s grin on the other side of his screen.

“So what next, Makoto, in your MMO adventures?”

“I’d say she should broaden her horizons a bit more in the game…” Akira begins. “Like trying out a new race or even class.”

“Such as?”

“Have you heard of the Revenant class?”

**Author's Note:**

> I really enjoyed writing this and if you have any questions about the game terminology, let me know! I am more than happy to explain what little I know of the game haha


End file.
